STAFF PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL GUIDELINES

Staff Performance Appraisal Guidelines – Reviewed February 2015 – Page 1 of 3 Copyright Hardi Nursing Home Management Pty Ltd – created 06/05/2010

Aims of Staff Performance Appraisal:

Opportunity to develop future goals for the staff member

Formal time to receive positive and other feedback regarding performance

Opportunity to communicate concerns and understand renewed employer expectations Objectives of Staff Performance Appraisal:

To achieve the objectives of the organisation

To assist management planning activities

To assess staff member’s past performance

To assess potential for further improvement in self-development

To obtain feedback from staff member relating to job specification and daily routines and work environment

To identify training and staff development needs

For communicating work related concerns

To maintain performance levels, identify deficiencies and implement corrective action

To encourage staff to take own initiatives to improve their own performance

To check the effectiveness of other policies such as recruitment, selection, training and retention

To assist in the development of job competencies

To ensure all staff are meeting legislative requirements and best practice standards

To promote a culture of teamwork within the Facility. Step 1: Plan The first step is to plan for the performance appraisal interview. You should consider:

what duties the job involves (refer to the Position Description)

what skills and abilities are needed to do the job (refer to Position Description)

what level of performance is expected.

Have the following documents available prior to the interview:

Staff Handbook

Position Description

Daily Routine

Applicable Flow Charts

Employment Qualifying Period Agreement (if applicable) Before conducting an staff performance appraisal:

Take time to fully observe performance and review available documentation in conjunction with other appropriate staff

Have the Staff Appraisal Form and Staff Appraisal Action Plan at hand prior to meeting with employee.

Prior to meeting with a staff member, give the staff member the opportunity to reflect on their own performance by completing the Self-Appraisal part of the Staff Appraisal Form.

Ensure staff member is aware of appraisal well in advance of appraisal interview

Ensure staff member understands this is an appraisal, not a disciplinary meeting

Consider all related information over the entire appraisal period not just recent information

STAFF PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL GUIDELINES

Staff Performance Appraisal Guidelines – Reviewed February 2015 – Page 2 of 3 Copyright Hardi Nursing Home Management Pty Ltd – created 06/05/2010

Consider all aspects of staff member’s Position Description and daily routines when determining levels of performance

Step 2: Discuss The next step is to arrange a time to meet with the staff member to discuss and set up the Staff Appraisal Action Plan. During the meeting, talk with the staff member about:

Discuss staff member’s strengths and identify areas for improvement

Formulate action plan with the staff member for skills they need to develop and set time frame for completion of actions

Seek the staff member’s own ideas about learning and development opportunities

Clarify the employer’s expectations and repercussions should expectations not be met

Confirm time for next appraisal or set date for review where need for improvement has been identified

Forms to be signed by person performing appraisal and staff member

Complete individual training needs analysis where required

An Staff Appraisal Action Plan will be mutually developed to address ongoing professional development. A review of the action plan and assessment of improvement will follow within a mutually agreed time frame. Failure to meet any required performance outcomes can result in counselling and disciplinary actions.

Step 3: Monitor After you’ve made the Staff Appraisal Action Plan, the next step is to monitor the staff member’s performance and support the staff member to meet their goals. Remember to:

give regular feedback (both positive and constructive) to the staff member

deal with any underperformance issues as soon as they come up

support staff to improve performance, by providing training, coaching or mentoring opportunities.

Step 4: Review The final step is to review and evaluate the staff member’s performance at the end of the performance cycle.

Meet with each staff member at least every 12 months to assess their performance against the agreed goals. It may be appropriate to do interim evaluations, especially in the staff member’s first year, where the job’s requirements change, or where the staff member is having performance problems.

Prior to meeting with a staff member, give the staff member the opportunity to reflect on their own performance by completing the Self-Appraisal part of the Staff Appraisal Form.

After completing the review of the current performance cycle, consider whether to revise the staff member’s performance goals or set new ones for the next cycle.

Overview for Permanent Staff:

Check the previous Staff Appraisal Form and Staff Appraisal Action Plan.

Check any concerns documented in personnel file and evaluations.

STAFF PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL GUIDELINES

Staff Performance Appraisal Guidelines – Reviewed February 2015 – Page 3 of 3 Copyright Hardi Nursing Home Management Pty Ltd – created 06/05/2010

Check compulsory training attendance

Check completion of relevant competencies, including manual handling

Seek supervisors input

Commence interview with positives – e.g. complies with all above conditions of employment, participation in Committees, continuous improvement activities, communication, following direction, etc. (NOTE: not areas that are a given e.g. uniform, sick, etc)

Seek future plans for improving career path - e.g. AIN without Cert III, Committee membership, etc

Seek staff input regarding Position Description including Job Routines

Specify areas which need reinforcement, improvement or deficits to be listed (number each area).

Prepare Staff Appraisal Action Plan together - discuss a plan for each of the above numbered areas. It is the manager’s responsibility to assist the staff member with the action plan and not leave it up to the staff member. This is especially important where staff behaviour/competence requires immediate improvement.

Review date for action plan completion depends on the items and may be 12 months or earlier. Dates for review may be different, if applicable, for each part of the action plan.

Overview for Employment Qualifying Period:

Conduct a formal appraisal as soon as possible after employment within the Employee Qualifying Period. Individual assessment may mean a week or more depending on the case.

Ensure new employee has completed/ is in the process of completing competencies.

Ensure the new employee is reminded about the conditions of the Employee Qualifying Period.

The new employee’s action plan must reflect that the employer is providing the necessary assistance to the new employee to comply with Position Description, Job Routines, etc.

The review date for the action plan completion should be appropriate to the issues to be addressed, but must not be left until the qualifying period is complete.

If improvement is not achieved following the implementation of the action plan, if the work performance is not up to the required standard, or the new employee is considered to be generally unsuitable the employment may be terminated during the qualifying period.

Example Statement for Staff Appraisal Form:

Complies with conditions of employment as per Staff Handbook, Position Description, Job Routines, and Flow Charts with the exceptions listed below. 1. …… 2. …….